Unexpectedly
by Sarafaithie19
Summary: "Caroline. Klaus Mikaelson is staring at you." Elena said with a very obvious tone. Caroline looked up from her lunch tray as discretely as possible. Sure enough, the one and only Klaus Mikaelson was eyeing her like she would be much more appetizing than whatever food his family's butler had prepared that morning. Their eyes met. "Well fuck," Caroline thought to herself.
1. Chapter 1

**Well I love the Klaus and Caroline dynamic and I am honestly still hoping that in either The Originals or in some future show we get to see them together and what that would look like, but until then, here's what them human and in high school looks like in my head. I'm mostly writing this for myself but if you like it please review and let me know.**

"Oh god, don't put those there!" Caroline said rushing to a freshman who was hanging decorations. This had to be perfect. Absolutely perfect. If Caroline was in charge of it, then it had to be the best prom any of these people could imagine. Caroline felt this heavy layer of pressure with every banner and streamer hung. After all, she was the only daughter to the town's only sheriff and she was dating, Tyler, the son of the town's mayor. What was Caroline if she wasn't the perfect image everyone created for her to be?

The last decorations had been hung and the food just had to be set up. Caroline ran home to begin getting ready for her junior prom. The school had taken a vote and the winning theme was the 20's. The dress she had chosen was yellow. Caroline didn't typically like yellow but there was something about this dress that just screamed at her.

"Caroline! Tyler is here!" She heard her mother yell from down the stairs. The timing was kind of perfect because she had just finished her hair. Tyler looked handsome as ever. His tie was yellow to match her dress. Caroline personally would have preferred him to not wear a hat with his tux but she was trying to learn that she couldn't control everyone, and especially not their fashion choices.

"You look beautiful," Tyler said smiling as Caroline came down the stairs. Her smile was a little forced simply because the stress of the evening was at the forefront of her mind. Perfect, it would be perfect. Well, that's what she kept telling herself.

"Thanks Tyler, you have no idea how nerv-," she started to say but was cut off by her mom snapping a billion photos as they stood in each other's arms at the bottom of the stairs.

The drive to the school was relatively quiet. Tyler was telling her all about some town meeting he got to sit in on this afternoon. Tyler loved any time his father was willing to spend with him even if it was work time. "Do you think tonight will go as planned?" Caroline asked. Just overthinking the whole thing. The prom could suck, and everyone could hate it. She could lose the election for prom queen. Tyler would win prom king obviously, and maybe Rebekah would win prom queen, and well they would fall in love and have babies and live happily ever after with a white picket-

"Caroline. You're overthinking this whole thing. We are here to have fun. I'll spike the punch. We'll dance and everything else doesn't matter. If it sucks, it sucks. We will still have a good night," Tyler tried to sooth her as they pulled up.

"You're right," Caroline nodded. Only she didn't fully agree with him, it needed to be a 100% success.

They danced, drank spiked punch, listened to that roaring 20s type of music, and then it was the moment of truth. The night had gone on without a hitch, but they were just about to announce prom king and queen.

"And the prom king and queen of Mystic Falls high school are Tyler Lockwood and Caroline Forbes!" Matt announced. Finally, Caroline could breath. It was indeed the perfect night.

Caroline and Tyler received their crowns and shared a dance as the winners. But over in the corner Rebekah Mikaelson was fuming. How could Caroline win over her? Why did Tyler like her so much? Why did everyone like her so much? What was so special about the little blond people pleaser?

Rebekah had come without a date and well needless to say the night wasn't going according to her plan so she wasn't going to let Caroline have the night of her dreams either. "I think it's so amazing of you to forgive Tyler for sleeping with me last summer. I mean, you never treated him or I any differently after our little indiscretion. It's so big of you Caroline," Rebekah had walked over to Tyler and Caroline to say.

"Oh go fuck yourself Rebekah," Caroline retorted not believing a word of it, but then she caught the look in Tyler's eyes.

"Oh no, it happened. Ask any of Tyler's football buddies. At the end of the summer party. We were both totally wasted. It meant nothing." Rebekah continued very much enjoying the look of pain that crossed Caroline's features. It's funny how Rebekah's accent just mad everything she said so much worse.

"How could you?" Caroline whispered to a silent Tyler who was grasping to find any words that would fix the situation. He just couldn't find them.

Caroline ran out of the gymnasium. Bawling. Ruining her makeup. Ruining her night. Just everything was now ruined altogether. She sat with her knees to her chest in the dark school hallway just defeated.

"Being prom queen not all it's cracked up to be love?" Caroline heard some guy with a British accent say in a teasing but soft tone. Klaus. It was Klaus Mikaelson.


	2. Chapter 2

**It's cool some of you guys digged the beginning of this story. I can promise that all future updates won't be as quickly uploaded as this one, but well I had voices in my head and this is what they said.**

"People aren't all they're cracked up to be," Caroline said quietly trying not to cry in front of him of all people.

Klaus smirked, "That's a bit odd coming from a woman who is constantly surrounded by people."

Caroline felt offended. Like what, she couldn't possibly know what loneliness felt like because she had friends? "Well at least people actually like me enough to hang around me," she quipped back.

His smirk faded into a neutral look. "Ah, yes, and how fulfilling those relationships must obviously be with your current condition and only me around for company."

"What are you even doing here Klaus? Shouldn't you be off killing cats or something?" Caroline said with a more steady voice. This was easier. Channeling all her anger onto him might just make her feel the tiniest bit better about the whole night.

"It may surprise you that not everything you hear is based in truth." Klaus said slightly pissed off. I guess assumptions were making asses out of both of them tonight.

Klaus had always been the odd duck of his siblings. In a family full of money and popularity, he was the black sheep. Rebekah was on the cheer squad, Kol was on the football team, Finn had been on student council, and even Henrik as a middle schooler was well looked upon by his peers. While Klaus just had 'trouble' metaphorically written next to his name and everybody knew it.

"So what's the real Klaus Mikaelson like? Since you claim to not be some angry juvenile delinquent." Caroline said letting go of her knees now that finally the tears had stopped. She'd found a distraction.

"I never said I wasn't angry or a juvenile delinquent. I make horrible decisions all the time. I've just never murdered a poor defenseless animal."

Caroline nodded not sure how to reply to that. Klaus was still standing but now he was leaning against the wall she sat by. She looked up at him and cocked her head to the side finally taking in his tux and full appearance. You could tell the tux was an expensive one. His tie was a deep red. He had curly, dark blond hair and this amazing smile. Klaus smirked and Caroline had to look away. He had seriously just caught her checking him out.

"You don't have to stop love. Doesn't offend me at all," Klaus said. Why did everything he said sound so good? Every vowel just had this special ring to it. Fuck that was annoying.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied. "I have a boyfriend you know."

"Ahh, is that what we are calling little boys who hurt us and make us cry?"

Caroline opened her mouth just to close it again. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I? Love at its core is simply dependability. Love asks, can I depend on you to be there? Can I depend on you to stay? Can I depend on you to never give up on me? Can I depend upon you in all things?" Klaus talked about this elusive thing while staring down into her eyes.

Honestly Caroline couldn't believe she was having this kind of conversation with him. The guy who basically said 'fuck you' to anyone who dare glance in his direction was giving her his definition of what love should be. Or maybe it was what he wished love was because he almost seemed sad in his thoughts.

"Don't you have a date waiting for you in there? Or did you come just to talk to little old me?" Caroline deflected.

Klaus grinned. He found something so interesting about her bitchiness. She was a challenge. "Is that your way of asking if I'm single and interested?"

"No, that's my way of telling you to fuck off." Caroline crossed her arms. He just thought he was so charming and irresistible. "I'm too smart to be seduced by you."

"I know. That's what I'm beginning to like about you," he said like it was obvious. Despite being the least liked Mikaelson alive or dead, you'd be surprised at the amount of women who fell into his bed. Or maybe you wouldn't.. "I do have a date tonight. She is probably going to blow up on me for disappearing for so long, but I couldn't let the prettiest girl at the dance run off crying alone could I?"

"I wouldn't think dances would be your thing," Caroline said just ignoring the last part of what he had to say completely.

"Well you don't know me yet. The 20s are actually my favorite era. When I was little, I used to have dreams that I had been born in those times. The jazz and lifestyle, all very much 'my thing' as you annoying American girls would say." Klaus told her.

"Klaus, what are you doing?" A brown haired girl came through the gymnasium doors asking.

It was Haley Burkhall. She ran track. Wasn't super popular but people knew who she was. She held the school record for beer pong. Don't ask Caroline how she knew that, she just knew little things about everyone who went to her school. Klaus didn't answer Haley, instead he looked down at Caroline one last time and said, "Well anyways, it was nice to meet the girl who single handedly organized the type of prom that every girl at this school will be talking about for ages. If your goal was to create the picture perfect movie prom, you got it 100% accurate love."

And Klaus Mikaelson just walked away. Walked back into the gym with his date. Just walked away like he hadn't completely just mind fucked Caroline Forbes, like who the fuck was this guy?


	3. Chapter 3

**So I was laying in bed watching Klaroline videos on YouTube (like I so often do) during my afternoon nap and I came across these golden gems. The videos are by Jess K. The first is titled (TVD) Klaroline Fan Reactions to S04E19 and the second (TVD) Klaroline Fan Reactions to S05E11, I would link them for you if it would let me, but just know they are genius and worth the effort of looking up. I'm still dying of laughter.**

Caroline couldn't sleep that night. She just laid there staring up at the ceiling thinking. Thinking about Tyler and how he slept with Rebekah last year. Thinking about her perfectly planned prom not being perfect for her. Thinking about how her mom got home late from work. Thinking about how school would go tomorrow. She was thinking about anything and everything because she refused to be laying in bed unable to sleep because of Klaus Mikaelson. She didn't even know the kid and he sure as fuck would not have that much power over her after one conversation.

Caroline's morning classes drifted by in a blur. She heard none of any of the teachers mumblings. She was so out of it that she walked straight into Tyler who was waiting for her by her locker.

"You okay Care?" He asked steadying her by grabbing her sides after she bumped into him.

"I'm perfect," Caroline said through clenched teeth with the most obviously fake smile that had ever graced her face. Caroline stepped back out of his arms.

"We have to talk about what happened last night-" Tyler started to insist.

"Oh no, no, no, no. We don't have anything to talk about Tyler," she huffed back while opening her locker and shoving books in as quickly as possible.

"Yes we do. I don't want to lose you!" Tyler spoke with conviction which was something Caroline wasn't exactly used to hearing from him.

"When one doesn't wish to lose a girl, one should typically keep his dick out of other girls mate. Just a helpful tip for the next one," Klaus snickered walking by. He had literally come out of nowhere.

"Okay fucker, this conversation has nothing remotely to do with you so I'm thinking you should mind your own business." Tyler turned from Caroline to face Klaus. It was funny because even though Tyler was the muscular one who played sports and worked out, and Klaus was tall, lean, and didn't possess the mass that Tyler had, Caroline had the strangest feeling that Klaus could draw blood before Tyler could get out a punch.

"On the contrary mate, this type of hallway buffoonery is exactly my business," Klaus responded to Tyler while meeting Caroline's gaze. Caroline rolled her eyes in response to the double meaning in his words and the flashbacks from last night.

Caroline saw Tyler's hands ball up into fists. That wasn't something that was going to happen today or ever. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him away toward an empty classroom. Caroline snuck a look back at Klaus and he was grinning ear to ear like he had won the imaginary fight by default or something. Klaus stood there like he welcomed Tyler to come and try something. Unafraid and almost giddy.

"Do you know that prick because he has something coming if he thinks he knows shit about us," Tyler said once Caroline had safely gotten him into the more private classroom.

"Tyler, as of last night there is no 'us'," Caroline said looking down. She was sad. She had every right to be. All her high school years had consisted of her and him. Every memory.

"It was one time Care! It was right after my mom had died and I was going through something. I messed up but it's never happened again."

"So what was I when you were 'going through something'?" Caroline made air quotes with her fingers. "Cop liver? Because I was there. I was going through it with you I thought. I brought over a thousand casseroles. When you couldn't go home, I snuck you into my room if I could or we slept in your car. I stayed with you through all the horrible nights." Caroline could remember how broken he was. Anyone would be after their mother died. Tyler's mom had found out she had cancer after a fainting spell one day and it was like she was gone the next. Caroline remembered holding Tyler while he bawled afraid to go home and let his dad see how much he was hurting.

"You were smothering me! I couldn't breath! You just wanted to fix everything and you couldn't. You can't fix everything and I just needed time," Tyler almost yelled. He ran a hand through his hair and turned away from her. He didn't want to be angry with her. He didn't want to yell at her.

Caroline on the other hand thought yelling sounded pretty damn good. "You slept with Rebekah because I was smothering you? Because I didn't know how to give you time? Because I cared? Well the girl must have some magical fucking talent if she's all it took to finally heal your pain." Caroline was on the verge of tears.

"Caroline, I can't lose you. I depend on you," Tyler reached for her arm. Caroline's mind drifted back to a conversation from the night before.

" _Love at its core is simply dependability. Love asks, can I depend on you to be there? Can I depend on you to stay? Can I depend on you to never give up on me? Can I depend upon you in all things?"_ Klaus had said.

"When have I ever been able to depend on you Tyler?" Caroline asked finally pulling out of her memories.

"What's the supposed to mean?"

Caroline shook her head. "I can't do this. I guess it's me who needs some time now." She walked out of the classroom and made it to her next class without even being late.

"Whatever you choose to do with Tyler we will support you Caroline," Bonnie reassured her after Caroline told her and Elena the whole story of what happened that night at the prom and this morning in between classes. She conveniently left out every part that included Klaus but I mean how relevant was he really to that whole story anyway?...

"Caroline. Klaus Mikaelson is staring at you." Elena said with a very obvious tone. Caroline looked up from her lunch tray as discretely as possible. Sure enough, the one and only Klaus Mikaelson was eyeing her like she would be much more appetizing than whatever food his family's butler had prepared that morning. Their eyes met. "Well fuck," Caroline thought to herself.

What was with his eyes anyways? They were all beautifully blue and had this piercing gaze and almost looked like they held a thousand years worth of memories in them. They were just so disgusting. Or that's what Caroline kept unsuccessfully trying to convince herself.

Elena was looking at Caroline like she expected some short of explanation for why the asshole of the Mikaelson clan had his attention drawn their way. "Umm maybe he wants to borrow my biology notes," she lied. She always was a terrible liar. Her face kind of scrunched with her smile and if you knew her well enough it was impossible to miss. "I'll be right back," Caroline told them as she hopped up and walked over to where he was. Bonnie and Elena just exchanged looks and silently agreed to blame her weirdness on the Tyler incident.

"Why are you gawking at me like I'm some sort of zoo animal you plan to hunt down and skin alive," Caroline asked Klaus in a hushed tone so nobody from any of the nearby tables could hear. He was sitting by himself at a middle table sprawled out confidently like he was the king of the cafeteria.

He chuckled at her. Chuckled. Like she was being funny. "I'm not sure if this is some type of game to you but I don't want to play," she continued.

"Not playing a game love. But if you want to be chased then I'm up for the challenge."

Grr why did he always have to say things like that! "I carry pepper spray on my keys for guys like you."

"You came to me Caroline. I'm just innocently sitting here trying to enjoy my lunch. You're the one who apparently can't stay away." Klaus teased. His huge inviting smile was back. How could someone be such a dickwad and so enticing at the same time?

"I just came over here to tell you that you're creeping out my friends with all the watching and looking and eyes," Caroline rambled and turned around to head back to her table before she made an even bigger fool of herself.

This Klaus guy might just end up being a problem.


	4. Chapter 4

**My muse has playing an array of childhood games. First peekaboo and then hide and seek. So I gave up on the bitch and this is what we got.**

It had been two weeks since the prom. Two weeks of Caroline seeing Tyler, turning around, and walking the other way. Two weeks of Caroline trying to avoid the continuation of her and Tyler's last conversation and having to explain what exactly her needing time meant. Funny enough, but in these two weeks she didn't see Klaus much, well not at all actually. Not that she was looking. She was most definitely not looking for Klaus, but I mean anyone would notice his face missing from the lunchroom if he just magically stopped showing up one day right?

Today was the most important Saturday to come all year. It was the day of the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant. Originally, Tyler was supposed to be her date but now she was screwed. Even though her friend Matt had offered to accompany her, he didn't know any of the dances. There was no way Caroline was going to win now and after being prom queen had been such an epic fail, she had been hoping for this one night to at least live up to her expectations. Tyler often told her that her expectations were too high. That she expected too much from people and from life. Maybe he was right. Maybe that's why Caroline was always being hurt and was always disappointed.

Caroline heard the doorbell. She opened the door expecting to see the mailman or maybe even a mormon, but nobody was there. Just a box with no card or indication of what it was or who it was from. Caroline took the lid off the box to reveal the most beautiful dress. It was royal blue and sparkled in all the right places. It didn't look old per say but it looked well made the way things only looked when hand made or from a different era. The tag might as well have said 'Magic Wand Created: Dream Cinderella Princess Dress'.

Caroline had a few ideas of where it could of come from but none that she would bet on. Maybe her mom had bought it for her because she felt sorry for missing the pageant. Her mom really did miss a lot of the big and even the little events because she worked so much. Caroline even humored the idea that her father had sent it to her trying to make up for leaving. Caroline's dad was now in a very happy relationship with a man named Bobby three cities away. Caroline was honestly happy her dad was happy but being abandoned by someone who was always supposed to be there for you puts a damper on being happy for their happiness. Maybe Tyler had sent it as an apology? Maybe he was trying to be invested and trying to care about the things that mattered to Caroline now. Regardless of who sent it, it was perfect in every way and she wouldn't pass up the opportunity to wear something so gorgeous. Maybe it would even make up for the fact that her and Matt would look like idiots on the dance floor in a few short hours.

The old mansion where the pageant was being held was already full of guests. All the founding families were there. The weather was perfect, sunny but a few clouds to provide needed shade since this event was outdoors. Caroline thought the event had been well planned and decorated even if she did see a few things she would have done differently had she been in charge.

The mystery dress fit like it had been tailored to her exact measurements. Caroline had her hair in a low updo with pieces toward the front left out and curled. She looked in the mirror hoping that this was enough. Hoping her hair was enough, the dress, the makeup. I couldn't tell you why the validation of others was so important to her. It just was.

The violins could now be heard as the first contestant's name was called from the announcer downstairs. Of course it was Tyler's father Richard Lockwood, the mayor, who was playing announcer to the event.

"Miss Bonnie Bennett! Escorted by Mister Jeremy Gilbert!" Caroline heard as she watched Bonnie walk down the winding staircase. Jeremy was at the bottom waiting to take her hand and lead her out to the dance floor.

Caroline watched as all the other girls who's last names started with a letter before 'F' walked down the stairway to their handsome dates. Dates who had been taking dance classes with their girlfriends to get this dance perfect. Dates who were there when they were needed.

"Miss Caroline Forbes!" She heard the Mr. Lockwood say.

"Here goes nothing," she said to herself before taking her first step down. But there was nobody waiting for her at the bottom.

"Escorted by Matt-" the mayor's voice started but stopped to correct itself. "Escorted by Mister Klaus Mikaelson!"

And up stepped Klaus Mikaelson from the shadows with his hand out for Caroline to grab just as she reached the bottom step.

"What are you doing here?!" Caroline said as he lead her onto the dance floor.

"Saving the day love. What does it look like?" Klaus responded right as the music started and they bowed to each other to begin this age old dance.

"What is Caroline doing with my brother," Caroline heard Rebekah say to her escort. They were two couples over right next to Elena and Damon. Elena and Bonnie's heads snapped over to stare at her and Klaus.

They were only about 20 seconds into the dance when Caroline realized that Klaus actually really knew what he was doing. He moved with confidence and perfect timing. Their hands never touching as they hovered just a couple inches apart. Elena watched them out of the corner of her eye thinking how much the pair resembled The Beauty and The Beast. Caroline had made Elena watch that movie a thousand times when they were little girls.

When the part of the dance came where one of Caroline's hands was now in Klaus' and the other on his shoulder while his other hand was on her waist, Caroline thought her skin would catch fire. They were dancing in a sea of other people but the only sea Caroline was lost in was Klaus' eyes. His eyes gazed at her never looking away. It was like they were in their own little world that nobody could penetrate. But then the music stopped and the real world came rushing in. Especially all the gawking townspeople. People who included her friends, peers, and Tyler.

"I'm glad you liked the dress," Klaus said as they walked to the outskirts of the party limits. Caroline was trying to run away from the attention. The sun was setting now and the event was right next to a pond that the sun reflected on so beautifully.

Caroline looked up surprised. "You left me the dress?"

"A little birdie might have let it slip that the Caroline Forbes was getting screwed out of the title of Miss Mystic Falls and being the Prince Charming that I am, I just couldn't let that happened now could I love?"

"A little birdie?" Caroline pushed.

"Well you weren't exactly quiet about your frustrations and I hear more than you would think."

"Where have you been? You haven't even been at school." Caroline said before realizing she had said to much. That she had given him the upper hand by knowing that she noticed his absence.

"So my presence was missed I take it?" Klaus had a look on his face like he had caught someone stealing from a cookie jar.

"Uh no. I- ugh- I," Caroline stammered.

Klaus chuckled. "Family business back in England. The details are boring really."

"Why did you come here Klaus?" Caroline was so baffled by his actions.

"Because I fancy you. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes!" All of Caroline's insecurities rose to the surface. She shifted her stance feeling a shiver.

"Why?" Klaus persisted. "You're beautiful. You're strong. You're full of light. I enjoy you."

"Well I'm spoken for." Caroline said forever on the defensive.

"I thought you two ended things."

"Yeah because he doesn't know how to keep his genitals to himself," Caroline huffed.

"So you're not spoken for?"

"You know I remember our freshman year, the first year your family moved here. The first day of high school and some douchebag guy mimicked your accent and you gave him a bloody nose before he could even get out like three words."

"Are we taking a trip down memory lane love? The first day of high school you had on that blue skirt that Mr. Saltzman deemed too revealing so you had to wear your gym shorts all day."

Caroline couldn't believe he remembered that. She would have never of guessed that Klaus knew of her existence before prom a few short weeks ago.

"Or what about sophomore year. Moriah Frayer called you her boyfriend in front of everyone in the cafeteria and you told her she was a good fuck but that you weren't relationship material and then just left her there to cry."

"Well at least we know you've been paying attention for some time," Klaus said puzzled. "You're intriguing to me Caroline. Now best we head back, they are about to announce that you won this thing."


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter his dedicated to my mom's husband Nicolai who passed away this past Saturday in a car accident. He was only 49. We didn't have the best relationship but he was loved by us all and will be severely missed.**

Of course Caroline won the title of Miss Mystic Falls. She was overjoyed. Klaus watched the happiness that radiated off of her. It was like the world changed when she had that smile on her face... He didn't fucking understand what mental deficit his brain was all of a sudden suffering from.

"So you've been missing in action," Haley said to Klaus as he walked into the hellhole building they called Mystic Falls High School.

"Surprised my face isn't plastered on milk cartons around the United States with all the people whom think I disappeared."

"All I'm saying is you could have mentioned you were going out of town." Haley murmured as she let her back lean on a door to some random classroom.

"You should just be pleased I came back," Klaus said. Haley was acting needy and it was getting on his nerves.

"Guess I should show you how pleased I am?" Haley said biting her lip. She pulled him closer by his shirt, his body now flush against hers. She moved her lips up to his. It didn't matter that they were in the middle of a school hallway, his lips moved against hers in a frenzy. There was nothing ever slow or soft with Klaus.

"Ahh yes. This is why I put up with the brunette," Klaus thought to himself while his hands crept up Haley's sides.

Caroline woke up with a mission. A mission to figure out who exactly Klaus Mikaelson was. Beyond the rumors. Caroline was going to figure him out by all means necessary. No creeping, stalking, or invasion of privacy was too much or too extreme. She recurled the same piece of hair four different times because she just wanted to look perfect… for.. for her pursuit of knowledge.. Yeah, that was it!

Caroline was grabbing an English paper from her locker when she heard Rebekah's loud and annoying voice.

"Ew Niklaus. Have some common decency and get a room," Rebekah had said as she walked by Klaus and Haley heavily making out down the hallway from Caroline. Caroline honestly hadn't even seen them yet.

Klaus only rolled his eyes at Rebekah as he pulled away from the web that was Haley's embrace. Klaus' eyes wondered from his sister over to the opposite end of the hall where they rested on Caroline.

Caroline was at a loss for words. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't run off and show weakness. Plus, however inconvenient, the door Haley was leaning on was the door to her English class. So, with Klaus' eyes on her, Caroline walked straight towards them.

"You have something to get off your chest blondie?" Haley tried to start some sort of confrontation.

"Maybe just molest each other in front of some other door that doesn't require my entrance for class," Caroline quipped squinting her eyes at the bitch.

You could tell Klaus was physically holding back a laugh. "After you love," Klaus said as he opened said door for Caroline.

"Why do you call her that. You've never called me anything other than my name," Caroline heard Haley say as she walked into her class.

Klaus didn't even respond as he followed Caroline inside. "This isn't one of your classes."

"I'm aware. I've just developed an avid interest in-," Klaus paused as he looked around the room to figure out what class he was about to interrupt. On the front board there was something written about proper paper construction. "English. English is so fascinating in the way that we have created so many words to just say the exact same thing in a hundred different ways."

"You're so full of shit," Caroline laughed as she crossed her arms.

"Come on, Caroline. Get to know me! I dare you." Klaus said. He sat down in the desk right next to hers. It was about 10 minutes until first bell.

"Fine. What would you like to talk about?"

"I want to talk about you. Your hopes. Your dreams. Everything you want in life."

"Is that what you spend your time talking with Haley about?" Caroline was being petty but she knew she was and she was okay with it. Klaus honestly didn't owe her an explanation. Yet.

"Don't be jealous love."

"Jealous? I am not jealous." Caroline scoffed. The nerve of him to call her jealous. As if. He wasn't that hot..

"Anyways, I have a 'thing' this evening." Klaus continued on. He was fiddling with some papers that had been left on the desk probably from the day before.

"You have a 'thing' this evening?" Caroline repeated back pronouncing the words slowly. Caroline watched his hands playing with the papers afraid to look at his face.

Klaus nodded like it was the only explanation needed. "I'm inviting you to it. I have something I'd like to show you."

"You're inviting me to your 'thing' because you have something you'd like to show me?" Caroline still just didn't know what to do with this information.

"Great. Meet you by the football field at six," Klaus said hopping up from the desk and leaving. He had just seen Bonnie and Elena walk in arm in arm.

"What the hell was that?" Elena asked confused by the two of them in the classroom by themselves. "And what the fuck was last night? We are like so happy you won but we never even got a chance to talk to you about it! Or about Klaus escorting you! You're keeping things from us. What about Tyler?"

Caroline tried to explain things the best she could but she didn't have any answers herself. How was she supposed to explain Klaus' actions to anyone when she didn't understand them herself?

Hours later, Caroline sat on the bleachers waiting for Klaus that evening. She was anxious about this whole meeting more than anything.

"You showed," she heard Klaus say as he walked up.

"What can I say, curiosity got the best of me." Caroline sighed and stood up.

"Curiosity killed the cat," Klaus said back. He'd heard that many times from his mother growing up whenever he'd ask questions she didn't want to answer. "Niklaus, stop it with the questions. Niklaus, curiosity killed the cat. Niklaus, a quick tongue gets cut out," were some of her most popular responses from his childhood.

"Well, good thing I'm not a cat. Or are you planning on killing me? Was that your plan? To ask me here and pull some sick, satanic ritual where you needed a pretty blond for the sacrifice?" Caroline rambled back as she followed him across the field toward the school.

Klaus let out a laugh that surprised Caroline. It wasn't his normal cocky chuckle. It wasn't a half laugh. It was deep and full of actual enjoyment.

"FYI, I told people where I was gonna be tonight." Caroline said as they got closer to the building.

"Did you?" Klaus challenged. "I can almost bet that not one soul knows you are here with me." Klaus knew she wouldn't have dared to tell anyone. Klaus opened and held the door to the arts section of the school.

"Okay, maybe I didn't mention it to anyone." Caroline walked through the open door. Klaus was just a gentleman when it came to the oddest things.

"I'm willing to play role of your dirty little secret for now love."

Caroline had never stepped foot in this part of the school. She couldn't even draw a stick figure so there was no point in ever taking an art class or coming down to this end.

Klaus led Caroline into a very open space. There were paintings on display everywhere. Caroline followed him to one wall in particular that had four of the largest paintings in the room.

"You like art?" Caroline asked surprised. She wouldn't have expected that from him. Just looking at paintings, actually enjoying them, didn't fit her perception of him.

"For as long as I can remember, yes," Klaus said.

The first painting was a landscape. The hillside was green and there was a pond. It didn't look anything like Mystic Falls. It looked like somewhere abroad. Somewhere adventures had taken place and full of innocence.

The second painting was a fragile snowflake. It was light in color and the darkness of the black background created the most incredible contrast. Like the darkness was going to eat and envelop the snowflake the first chance it got.

The third painting was another landscape piece. Another European looking country side. This one had a mansion very far away in the background.

The fourth piece is what really caught Caroline's attention though. It was the odd man out of all the paintings that adorned this wall. It was the only painting that didn't mirror something in real life. The only painting that wasn't an actual object or a place. This painting was all jagged lines. Literally just painted lines was the focus. The lines didn't have a pattern. There was no rhyme or reason to how they had been painted on the canvas. But the lines that had been created had been painted over and over, like someone had gone over and over these same crooked lines in torment of them.

Klaus watched Caroline study the paintings. She took a good look at them all but her eyes stayed the longest on the fourth one. She cocked her head to the side to get a different, angled view of all the same lines the painting held.

"Have a fascination with scribbles?" Klaus asked because it was definitely the least impressive of all the work there.

"Those lines aren't scribbles. They weren't just strokes made with no intent. There's purpose to them." Caroline mused.

"What do you think they are then?" Klaus wanted so desperately to know how her mind worked. He wished he could see the way it functioned, all the gears turning in her head as she thought.

"They look like…. Scars. The line piece just looks like pain to me.. Then the two scenery pieces remind me of like innocence and adventures. And the snowflake, well there's just something lonely about it," Caroline finally decided after a moment of silence.

Out of all the things Klaus expected her to say, that was not one of them. "Your so much more than a pretty face aren't you Caroline? The two landscapes are from my parents estate in England. I loved it there as a child. The snowflake has something to do with what you guessed I guess you could say. And well the Scribble piece, everyone just assumes it's my only crazy, artsy painting since most of the pieces I paint are portraits or landscapes, but you are right. They are scars."

"Wait you did these?" Caroline said shocked. Maybe she was actually getting to know Klaus better than she thought.


End file.
